FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

It is scheme administered by Transport for NSW in conjunction with school and transport companies to enable eligible students to travel to and from school at no cost to the parents / guardians.

How do I know if my child is eligible?

How do I apply for a Free Travel Pass?

How do I update my details?

Can my child catch the bus while the application is being processed?

What do I do if the pass is lost?

What happens if my child is not eligible for Free School Travel?

Shared Parental Responsibility?

Travel Restrictions

School Students Behaviour on Buses

School Students Behaviour on Buses

Travel by bus for all students is subject to them abiding to the Code Of Conduct developed by Transport for NSW. This Code of Conduct and the Guidelines for Managing School Student’s Behaviour on Buses were developed to clearly outline every student’s responsibility to behave in a manner that ensures the safety and comfort of passengers and drivers.

Disobeying these rules may lead to the withdrawal of bus travel passes and/or prosecution.

A reminder that when signing the application form the parents/guardian/care giver explicitly declares that they support the code and that it has been explained to their child.

How do I know if my child is eligible?

Students from Prep/Kindergarten – Grade 2

They are a resident of NSW, or an overseas student eligible for free government education.

Aged 4 years 6 months, or older.

No minimum distance criteria applies to these students.

Note: Pre-school children are not eligible for subsidised travel between home and school under the SSTS

Primary school students from Grade 3 -6 are eligible if:

They are a resident of NSW, or an overseas student eligible for free government education.

The straight line distance from their home to school is 1.6km or further.

The walking distance from home to school is 2.3km or further.

Secondary school students from Years 7 -12 are eligible if:

They are a resident of NSW, or an overseas student eligible for free government education.

The straight line distance from their home to school is 2 km or further.

The walking distance from home to school is 2.9km or further.

TAFE students are eligible if:

They are a resident of NSW, or an overseas student eligible for free government education.

They are under 18 years of age at 1 January of the year of application.

They are enrolled in a full time TAFE course for a minimum of 20 hours per week.

They are not employed.

The walking distance from home to TAFE is 3.2 km or further.

They attend the closest TAFE where enrolment is available.

Non – Australian residents and students temporarily in Australia.

Certain non-Australian residents and students temporarily in Australia are eligible for free or subsidised travel, depending on their visa subclass. You will need to quote your visa subclass number when applying for the SSTS, in addition to meeting all the standard eligibility criteria.

How do I apply for a Free Travel Pass?

All applications for Free School Travel Bus Pass are made by completing a Transport for NSW online application form. Please note that Opal Cards do not apply to Rural and Regional areas, successful applicants will receive a Bus Pass from the bus operator.

You will need an email address to complete the form online. You can print a paper application form (pdf 52KB) for free travel if you don’t have an email address.

The online form will take about 5 – 10 minutes to complete and needs to be completed in one session. You will not be able to save a partly completed application and return to it later.

Before starting the application, you will need to know which bus operator is required for the student’s travel between home and school. If you are unsure please contact our office as selecting an incorrect bus operator will extend and delay when your child receives their bus pass.

Step1. Parents/Guardians/Carer Givers (or students aged 16 and over) first fill in the application form at transportnsw.info/school-students, nominating your home address and which bus company or transport operator the student needs to travel between home and school.

Step 2. Print and sign the form and submit to the school for endorsement. If you don’t have a printer, you’ll be able to email a copy of the application to yourself or save your application as a PDF and print it later.

Step 3. The school will then forward the application to Transport for NSW for processing.

Step 4. Transport for NSW will the email you and the bus operator the outcome of your application, if the application is approved we will post a bus pass to you.

If additional information needs to accompany the application, e.g.

Visa subclass category for non-Australia residents

Medical report and certificate (pfd 670KB)

this information should be prepared or scanned before starting to complete the application form.

How do I update my details?

If the student already has a bus pass and their address, school, or name has changed, or the students is entering Grade 3 or Year 7 you will need to update their details online. The form will then need to be printed, signed and dated and submit to the school for endorsement. The school will then forward the application to Transport for NSW for processing.

Transport for NSW will email you the outcome and if the updated application is successful, a new bus pass will be posted to you.

You must return any bus pass to us that is longer required or doesn’t have the correct information.

Can my child catch the bus while the application is being processed?

Yes, when you complete your application you will receive an email from Transport for NSW confirming you application. We will accept this confirmation of your application for a bus pass for 5 working days from the date of confirmation.

After these 5 working days from the date of your application we will commence charging you child a fare.

What do I do if the pass is lost?

Providing the student has not moved school or home address, a replacement bus pass can be arranged from your bus driver or by the website. Once the form is complete, return the completed form and replacement bus pass fee to the driver. The driver will issue a ticket for $15.00. The ticket is to be used as a temporary bus pass until the replacement has been issued.

The replacement bus pass will be sent to your School Administration for collection within 5 working days.

Application for replacement Student Travel Pass

What happens if my child is not eligible for Free School Travel?

If you are notified the application did not meet the eligibility criteria, you have the following options:

Purchase a child fare ticket.

Purchase a School Term Bus Pass. You should check with your local bus company whether a School Term Bus Pass is available.

Request a review of the decision from Transport for NSW

Shared Parental Responsibility?

In a shared parental responsibility situation (e.g. joint custody), a student is eligible for subsidised travel from both the parent’s addresses, subject to meeting normal eligibility criteria.

A separate SSTS application should be made by each parent (or by the student if aged 16 or over) for each address. Applications for subsidised travel for Friday afternoons and Monday mornings only (to cover weekend access visits) are not eligible under the Scheme

You do not in the first instance need to provide a court order or statutory declaration to Transport for NSW for shared parental responsibility situations. However, Transport for NSW in its discretion reserves the right to request these or further evidence documents if required for the purposes of determining eligibility for subsidised travel from both parent’s addresses.

If you are in a shared parental responsibility situation where a School Pass has been approved and you change your address, you must submit an updated application.

Travel Restrictions

If provided with a School Travel Pass the student must comply with the Student Codes of Conduct.

The School Travel Pass can only be used for approved times on school days between the student’s home and school or college between 6:30am and 7pm (6:30am and 9:30pm for TAFE students)

The Scheme does not cover travel to and from:

Before and after school care or child–minding premises

Before and after school activities

School excursions

Sport events

Work experience

Vocational Education and Training (VET) at a location away where the student is enrolled